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Tang, That is Al’s opinion. It is not mine. In my view the system sounds more natural now that I no longer use the Furutech IEC connectors. They seemed to exaggerate the high frequencies and created more “ detail“. As ddk suggested to me, the Furutech IEC connectors are colored. I don’t hear a different portrayal in the sense of “air”. The spectral balance is now just more even.

Peter,
A tricky question - considering you are now making videos, do you feel that phone videos show any difference when you just change the IEC connectors?
 

PeterA

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I posted these videos for fun. Like with Tang, it is an exchange or sharing of music, and it provides some kind of context of one's system for others who can not hear it any other way. People have already told me that they have ordered the two LPs based on hearing these videos. And the bonus is if I end up learning something in the process, or if a comparison generates an interesting discussion. This will hopefully be the case with the two videos comparing the two SME tonearms. I think the differences in that case are fairly representative of what I hear live from my system. The criticism is easy for me to ignore.

I think watching and listening to these videos is like attending a demonstration at an audio show. If the sound is good, it means there is some potential for the system to sound good. If the sound is bad, it does not mean the system is bad, it just means that the show conditions or video recording does not convey a system's potential. These videos and audio shows simply provide a little bit of exposure and data that would not otherwise be available.
 
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PeterA

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Peter,
A tricky question - considering you are now making videos, do you feel that phone videos show any difference when you just change the IEC connectors?

Good question Fransisco. I do not know. The Furutech connectors are gone not to return to the system. I never made any videos with them in the system. I could certainly hear the differences myself, and I think Al M. heard them pretty clearly when he was last here. It is a tricky question and one that I am sorry I will not be able to answer for you.

I can say that one listener to whom I sent a link to my arm comparison thread commented that he received four videos instead of two: two imbedded in the WBF post, and two directly on YouTube. He heard differences between the videos heard through WBF and those heard directly on YouTube.
 

Audiophile Bill

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Good question Fransisco. I do not know. The Furutech connectors are gone not to return to the system. I never made any videos with them in the system. I could certainly hear the differences myself, and I think Al M. heard them pretty clearly when he was last here. It is a tricky question and one that I am sorry I will not be able to answer for you.

I can say that one listener to whom I sent a link to my arm comparison thread commented that he received four videos instead of two: two imbedded in the WBF post, and two directly on YouTube. He heard differences between the videos heard through WBF and those heard directly on YouTube.

Out of morbid curiosity, was it the Furutech iec receptacles or the plugs themselves? Was it the Rhodium plated versions and / or NCF versions? The NCF rhodium tends to sound artificial ime.
 

PeterA

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Out of morbid curiosity, was it the Furutech iec receptacles or the plugs themselves? Was it the Rhodium plated versions and / or NCF versions? The NCF rhodium tends to sound artificial ime.

Hello Bill, These Furutech IEC connectors are 15 years old. I do not know what you mean by "IEC receptacle or the plugs themselves". Given their age, I do not know if they have the Rhodium plating or are the NCF versions. Perhaps neither given their age.

I used the Furutech IEC connectors to terminate the JPS Labs In-Wall wiring. The wire was connected right to the breaker, went through the floor and then the IEC connectors went directly into each of my Pass Labs monoblock amps.

The first test was to bypass that power completely and simply use Ching Cheng power cords from the Pass amps via an extension cord to non dedicated standard wall receptacles. This sounded better than the JPS wire/Furutech IEC directly into the amps, mostly in terms of clarity, dynamics, and natural sound. This told me the CC power cords were better than the direct connection to the panel that I had been using for 15 years, however, I did not know if the issue was the JPS Labs wiring or the Furutech IEC connectors.

The second test was to replace the Furutech IEC connectors with Hubble industrial grade isolated ground receptacles in DIY metal boxes. This meant that I was still using the JPS Labs wiring from the panel into dedicated receptacles and the Ching Cheng power cords. This sounded even better than test one. The improvement here was in a more even tonal balance covering the spectrum. Mid bass to lower mid range weight, body, power improved.

The third test will be to replace the JPS Labs wiring with commercial 10/3 stranded wire in flexible metal cladding on four dedicated circuits with an improved grounding scheme. I will then be able to directly compare the JPS wiring with the standard commercial wiring.
 
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Audiophile Bill

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Hello Bill, These Furutech IEC connectors are 15 years old. I do not know what you mean by "IEC receptacle or the plugs themselves". Given their age, I do not know if they have the Rhodium plating or are the NCF versions. Perhaps neither given their age.

I used the Furutech IEC connectors to terminate the JPS Labs In-Wall wiring. The wire was connected right to the breaker, went through the floor and then the IEC connectors went directly into each of my Pass Labs monoblock amps.

The first test was to bypass that power completely and simply use Ching Cheng power cords from the Pass amps via an extension cord to non dedicated standard wall receptacles. This sounded better than the JPS wire/Furutech IEC directly into the amps, mostly in terms of clarity, dynamics, and natural sound. This told me the CC power cords were better than the direct connection to the panel that I had been using for 15 years, however, I did not know if the issue was the JPS Labs wiring or the Furutech IEC connectors.

The second test was to replace the Furutech IEC connectors with Hubble industrial grade isolated ground receptacles in DIY metal boxes. This meant that I was still using the JPS Labs wiring from the panel into dedicated receptacles and the Ching Cheng power cords. This sounded even better than test one. The improvement here was in a more even tonal balance covering the spectrum. Mid bass to lower mid range weight, body, power improved.

The third test will be to replace the JPS Labs wiring with commercial 10/3 stranded wire in flexible metal cladding on four dedicated circuits with an improved grounding scheme. I will then be able to directly compare the JPS wiring with the standard commercial wiring.

So it is the iec plug on the end of the wire that inserts into the amp itself. When I said receptacle I meant the iec inlet on your amp.
 

PeterA

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So it is the iec plug on the end of the wire that inserts into the amp itself. When I said receptacle I meant the iec inlet on your amp.

I see. Thank you. That is the stock Pass part. I do know of people modifying Pass gear with "better" parts and one of them is the Furutech female inlet on the amp. They report good results, but I am sticking to stock parts thinking this is how they were designed and voiced during the listening phase of the design.
 
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Folsom

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Hello Bill, These Furutech IEC connectors are 15 years old. I do not know what you mean by "IEC receptacle or the plugs themselves". Given their age, I do not know if they have the Rhodium plating or are the NCF versions. Perhaps neither given their age.

I used the Furutech IEC connectors to terminate the JPS Labs In-Wall wiring. The wire was connected right to the breaker, went through the floor and then the IEC connectors went directly into each of my Pass Labs monoblock amps.

The first test was to bypass that power completely and simply use Ching Cheng power cords from the Pass amps via an extension cord to non dedicated standard wall receptacles. This sounded better than the JPS wire/Furutech IEC directly into the amps, mostly in terms of clarity, dynamics, and natural sound. This told me the CC power cords were better than the direct connection to the panel that I had been using for 15 years, however, I did not know if the issue was the JPS Labs wiring or the Furutech IEC connectors.

The second test was to replace the Furutech IEC connectors with Hubble industrial grade isolated ground receptacles in DIY metal boxes. This meant that I was still using the JPS Labs wiring from the panel into dedicated receptacles and the Ching Cheng power cords. This sounded even better than test one. The improvement here was in a more even tonal balance covering the spectrum. Mid bass to lower mid range weight, body, power improved.

The third test will be to replace the JPS Labs wiring with commercial 10/3 stranded wire in flexible metal cladding on four dedicated circuits with an improved grounding scheme. I will then be able to directly compare the JPS wiring with the standard commercial wiring.

So 3 separate wires in the conduit that are not held together in anyway? I would suspect it might get a little too mushy.
 

Audiophile Bill

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Anyway Peter - are you going to let us know the A and B now? Lol. Waiting with bated breath here.

In terms of your 2nd query on the cello track, it is much harder to extrapolate from that back to the cart without hearing both again. I would have said A because I heard some congestion that I heard on A in the choral but I am absolutely unsure. Might have been easier with a violin because I would attempt to extrapolate the hardening of the upper mid again or not as my diagnostic.
 

Audiophile Bill

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Anyway Peter - are you going to let us know the A and B now? Lol. Waiting with bated breath here.

In terms of your 2nd query on the cello track, it is much harder to extrapolate from that back to the cart without hearing both again. I would have said A because I heard some congestion that I heard on A in the choral but I am absolutely unsure. Might have been easier with a violin because I would attempt to extrapolate the hardening of the upper mid again or not as my diagnostic.

Oh sorry - I realise now it is your other thread!
 

bonzo75

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Hi Peter, thanks very much for posting this. Very enjoyable, hadn't heard this interpretation before. Btw, how far back do you sit from the speakers?
 
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PeterA

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So 3 separate wires in the conduit that are not held together in anyway? I would suspect it might get a little too mushy.

Folsom, I assume the stranded wires will be twisted. I don't know if the ground wire will have the same twist rate or not. My electrician will get commercial 10/3 MC wiring encased in aluminum. I already have this for a couple of dedicated outlets in the room.
 

PeterA

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Hi Peter, thanks very much for posting this. Very enjoyable, hadn't heard this interpretation before. Btw, how far back do you sit from the speakers?

Thank you Kedar. I am about 9'-5" from the tweeters and unfortunately, my ears are only 14" from the back wall. It is a small room. Glad you liked this. The goal now is to see if I can improve the performance of the 3012R. I will switch the cartridge back soon, but I want to do a couple more videos on the V-12 first.

I bought this Metha recording along with five others of his in eager anticipation of meeting him in Vienna last April and asking him to sign his recordings. Sadly, that trip was cancelled due to Covid. I am planning to go back in December when he will be there.
 

bonzo75

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Thank you Kedar. I am about 9'-5" from the tweeters and unfortunately, my ears are only 14" from the back wall. It is a small room. Glad you liked this. The goal now is to see if I can improve the performance of the 3012R. I will switch the cartridge back soon, but I want to do a couple more videos on the V-12 first.

I bought this Metha recording along with five others of his in eager anticipation of meeting him in Vienna last April and asking him to sign his recordings. Sadly, that trip was cancelled due to Covid. I am planning to go back in December when he will be there.

As you can see I said the video A had more control, authority, energy, etc. So I am fine if you leave as it is. I think because Tang hazarded a guess B was 3012r the others thought B was the trendy thing to select on this forum.

Do pick to the living stereo Fritz Reiner reissue. Very good recording and very good performance.
 
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MadFloyd

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Ked, I do have that reissue, and I agree it is excellent.

The Mehta is a better recording and great peformance though.
 
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bonzo75

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Folsom

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Folsom, I assume the stranded wires will be twisted. I don't know if the ground wire will have the same twist rate or not. My electrician will get commercial 10/3 MC wiring encased in aluminum. I already have this for a couple of dedicated outlets in the room.

Peter I'm pretty sure you're going to pay a hefty amount to get them twisted. I think maybe once I found a supplier that you could order twisted from, but I'm not sure off the top of my head it was for in wall stuff.
 

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